Providing elder law and estate planning services to the Walnut Creek, CA area. By elder law attorney, Michael J. Young

The rights of inheritance from a person who died intestate, and who was married at the time of death, will depend upon the nature of the particular asset being probated. Assets of the decedent who is a married person can be community property, quasi-community property or separate property. Quasi-community property is property acquired in another state that would have been community property if it had been acquired in California. Basically, all community property and quasi-community property will pass to the surviving spouse. The separate property of the decedent will be distributed to the surviving spouse and to other relatives, depending upon who survives. So for instance, if there is a surviving spouse and surviving children, one-half will go to the surviving spouse and one-half will go to one child, if there is only one child. If there is more than one child, one-third will go to the surviving spouse, and two-thirds will go to the children in equal shares. Other rules will apply if there are no children or grandchildren.

This information is not to be taken as legal advice, is general in nature, and you are encouraged to see your Walnut Creek Probate Attorney.

Probate proceedings typically take about a year to complete, and can take even longer depending on the assets and complexities of the case. After the petition is filed, notices are given and probate publication is made. Probate statutory time frames must be adhered to, and apply to various aspects of the probate, including filing dates, publication and creditors’ claims. If there are creditors’ claims against the estate, the probate can take even longer in order to resolve the claims. If beneficiaries contest certain aspects of the probate, such as the amounts of distributions and which parties are to receive which distributions, the probate proceeding could take even longer. Real estate can be sold during the course of a probate administration, even though the probate is being contested. When real property is sold during the course of a probate proceeding, the proceeds of sale are distributed from escrow to the probate bank account, pending completion of the probate proceeding.

This information is not to be taken as legal advice, and you are encouraged to see your Walnut Creek Probate Attorney.

Many probates involve real estate where a mortgage or loan, is secured by a deed of trust which is recorded against title of the subject real property. Properly recorded mortgages survive the death of the borrower/owner of the property, and remain as liens against the real property through probate. As a result, mortgages are not subject to probate creditors’ claims and time limits requirements for making a claim against probate. If a mortgage is not paid off during probate administration, the lender may eventually foreclose against the real property, even during the course of a probate proceeding. The probate administrator is not required to pay off the loan through probate. It is important to communicate with the lender through the course of the probate. If the lender knows that the subject real property is being marketed for sale during the probate, the lender will usually hold off on foreclosing, pending sale of the real property through the probate proceeding.

This information is not to be taken as legal advice, and you are encouraged to see your Walnut Creek Probate Attorney.

If you apply for Medi-Cal, the following list includes items that are generally exempted for qualification.

Your home is exempted if it is your principal residence. When applying for Medi-Cal, you will confirm on the application that you intend to return home after your stay in a skilled nursing facility. Medi-Cal requires a “subjective intent in writing to return home” to establish the home as an exempt asset. We have our clients execute an “intent to return home” form when we prepare their asset protection estate plans.

IRAs, 401k’s and other “qualified accounts” are exempt. The applicant however must be taking RMD’s or some amount of principal and interest on a periodic basis.

Not more than $2,000 in cash in the applicant’s name, which could include savings and checking accounts.

One care is exempt. If a couple owns two cars, we request an exemption for the more expensive car.

Term life insurance is exempt, but whole life insurance cannot have more than $1500 cash value.

Qualified or work related annuities are generally exempt. Other annuities may be exempt according to the Medi-Cal regulations.

Household furnishings are exempt.

This list is not exhaustive, and this information is not to be taken as legal advice. You are encouraged to see your elder law and probate attorney. At the Law Offices of Michael J. Young, at 1931 San Miguel Dr., Ste. 220, Walnut Creek, CA www.WalnutCreekElderLaw, 925-256-0298, lawyoung1@gmail.com, we practice Elder Law and we help Baby Boomers, Seniors and families through their Elder Care Journey. We help families with long-term care planning, asset-protection plans, comprehensive estate planning, probate avoidance, wills, trusts, powers of attorney and probates. We also help Baby Boomers and families get their “Ducks in a Row” in order help them qualify for Medi-Cal and the VA Aid & Attendance Improved Pension benefit.

A property tax re-assessment of the home in a transfer from a parent to a child can be avoided under California Proposition 58. For instance, when a probate is closed and the home is transferred to a child, or if the home is transferred to a child through trust administration, we can complete the “Claim For Reassessment Exclusion For Transfer Between Parent To Child.” If accepted by the assessor, the child who receives title to the real property through probate or the trust, can retain the parents’ old tax basis. Under Proposition 58, a son, daughter, child adopted before the age of 18, son-in-law, daughter–in-law and step-child, can be identified as the child. This re-assessment exclusion can be very valuable. For instance, the parents may have purchased their home some years ago for $85,000, and then leave their home to their daughter through probate or trust administration. When the parents die, their home could be worth $1,000,000. By utilizing Proposition 58, after the close of probate or trust administration, the daughter should be able to continue to pay property tax on the parents’ original tax basis of $85,000.

This information is not to be taken as legal advice, and you are encouraged to see your Walnut Creek Probate Attorney, Michael J. Young.

When the Personal Representative of the Probate Estate is appointed, whether that person is identified by the court as the executor or administrator of the estate, “Letters Testamentary” or “Letters Administration” will be issued to that person by the court. The Letters give the personal representative authority to carry out certain business of the probate proceeding. This authority is often given under the California Independent Administration of Estates Act, with full authority or limited authority. Full authority allows the personal representative of the estate to sell or exchange real property without court supervision. Limited authority to sell real property requires court supervision. All estates however, do not require letters or a full probate proceeding. Generally speaking, a probate is only required when the decedent had assets over $150,000 in value. Estates that have no real property, and have a total value under $150,000 can often be administered through a small estate affidavit under Probate Code § 13101.

This information is not to be taken as legal advice, and you are encouraged to see your Walnut Creek Probate Attorney, Michael J. Young.

When a probate is filed, the court will appoint a Personal Representative of the estate. This personal representative will be identified in the court proceeding as the executor or administrator of the estate. This person will sign and file the various documents that will be required by the court through the course of the probate proceeding. If there is a will naming an executor, the court will most likely name that individual as the executor of the estate. If there is no will, then the surviving spouse, the children of the decedent, parents, etc., can petition the court to be named as the “Administrator With Will Annexed.” The term “administrator” is also used when a person dies without leaving a will which would name an executor. If the executor named in the will has died or cannot serve for some reason, the court will appoint an administrator. If a former spouse is named in the decedent’s will as the executor, and there has since been a divorce, Probate Code § 6122 prevents the former spouse from serving as executor.

This information is not to be taken as legal advice, and you are encouraged to see Michael J. Yung, your Walnut Creek Probate Attorney.